Process of forming leveling-rod clamps



u 5, 0- A, LANGSNER 1,172,356

PROCESS OF FORIING' LEVELING ROD CWPS ori inal Filodlov. so. 1927 Patented Alleys,

ADOLPH LANGSNER',

or crIIcAeo, ILLIiIoIs, .a ssIenoI'r Tonnonnn nrnrzenn' cont ZPANY, or CHICAGO; ILnInoIs, aoonronarroiv-or DELAWARE I rnoonssforromurne tnvnnine non CLAMPS Original application filed November so, 1927, seriai-noa aaam. Patent Noi 1,78,8-9'3;dated se ms 17, 1929. Divided and this ap'plicationfiled. September 11, 1929. Serial No. 391,726. 7

7 My invention" relates to'clamps for levelmg rods used by surveyors and others,especially to that type ofrod composed of two "secrod sections in various pos tions of ad ust? carrying the clamping screwwhich holdsithe tions whereby the rodv may be extendedin length, the clamp serving. to hold the two ment.

One of the objects of my. invention is to provide a simple and economicaltypejof clamp wherein the frame thereof is. formed of sheet metalfland preferably of a sheetine'tal stamping bent into; a;sleeve like"fform and upon whichis rigidlymounted'.alinetal yoke rod sectionsin adjus'tedwposition.

Another object; of my present invention resides in the manner of constructingthe sheet metal sleeve or frame froinsheet metal and in the provision of the apertures therein through which the scaleinarkings may be ings, the screw openings and viewed and in the manner in which itis providedwith openings for the reception at attaching screws and the clampingscrew..

Still another object of my invention re- I 25 sides in forming. the frame of the-clamp of sheet metal and particularly in the manner in which the openings in the sheetmetal stamping are formed, which openings include the sight opening forthe scale readthe clamping screw opening. g r v v g Yet another object of myinvention resides in-the manner of forming thissheet metal frame from a single stampingand bending it.

into substantially rect'angular'shape and; in

mounting thereon the yoke which. carries the clamping screw. v

' These and otherv objects 'of invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fi 'wl is a perspective-view, o'f 'a portion 7 'of'the two rod'sections of an extensible level sitio'n;

Fig. 2 is a vertical the rodsections removed and showing the 'ing rod, showing my improved clamp inpo-i clamping frame vattached to. thefoth'er rod section. I

section with one of -Fig..' 3yls a detached perspective the sheet .metal frame. itself. f

7 lg. 41: is a perspective view. of the yoke or bridge member unconnected. fwith v the. fr eorisleeve- 1 I .Fig: his a sectional view transversely.

vthroughitheleveling. rod showing the sleeve enclosing and embracing the rod section 10.

"Fig 6 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank cut to form and just before the same isi'be'nt. into a rectangular shape as shown Referring now: to the drawings in detail,

the rod-informed in twosections 10 and markings. L fllh e presentinvention relates particularly' tothe construction of a clamp for adjustably holding the two rod sections in relative, positions of adjustment asshown forinstance in Figure; l of the drawings. Broadly considered, this clamp includes a sleeve or frameattached to oneof the rod sections'and adapted tosurround the other rod section which slidesthrough it and the frame or sleev'ecarriesa bracket or a'yoke inwhich is mounted a clamping. screw so that by'turning the clamping screw in the yoke, the inner end of the screw will be projected toward that. section: of the rod' which slides through. the sleeve and will firmly grip and clamp the rod section in any position of adjustment relative to the other rod. section. .The particular features ofmy inventiomin respect to thisclamp, reside in its simple and economical construction and, particularly in the manner in which itis made, from a sheet. metal stamping into the form of'a sleeve, and ithelmanner in which the yoke is mounted on the sleeve so as to hold the clampingscrew-whilepermitting the screw to pass through an aperture in the sleeve to clamp the rod section asshown in Figure 5.

as desired. Referring now more particularly to the clamp, the frame, which is shown in perspective in Figure 3 of the drawings,

is formed of heavy sheet metal, or other desired material, from the blank form shown inFigur 6 of the drawings. For instance,

During this stamping operation the blank l l is also stamped with a relatively large fopeng' ing 16 for exhibiting the scale markings. It

will be noted that this opening 16 is formed at one end of the blank. At the opposite endof theblankl preferably provide the screw openings 24. The frame or sleeve is when in the formshown in Figure 3 may be screwedto'the upper section 12 of the rod 7 These screw openings 24 are preferably formed simultaneously with the formation of the opening 16.

The'opp'osi-te shorter edges of theblank are also stamped O11 notched as at "18, so that when the'blank is formed into sleeve-like shape these notches l8 willregister to form the clamping screw opening. These notches are also preferably stamped or formed simultaneously with the formation of'the other cuts-:onthe blank. In addition, the

marginal portions of these shorter opposite sides'of the blank are provided with screw or rivet openings 26 to receive the bridge member, so that in this manner, when the bridge orv yoke 30 is assembled to the sleeve, it will not only be mounted'thereon, but the rivet 'or screw fastenings 26 will serve to hold the sleeve ends together.

After the blank is formed as shownin Figure'6,ji-t is then bent at substantially rectangular shape'as shown in Figure 3.

The yokeor bracket 30, shown in perspective in" Figure 4, has a main body portion 'formed'with lateral oif-sets'which in turn are provided with feet 32 designed to, bear upon that side or the wall of the frame in which the clamping screw hole 18 is formed. These feet either have threaded holes formed in them to register with thescrew openings 26 or are provided with rivet openingsso that theyoke may be riveted to the frame at this point. In this manner the-yoke is held in position uponthe frame ina rigid manner. The yoke, at an intermediate point, is formed I witha threadedv bore preferably in the form of a hollow boss 42 which, when the 'yoke is assembled. comes opposite the clamping screw opening 18 of the sleeve. A clamping screw 22, having an outer end threaded adjustably to engage the threads of'the boss 42, is mounted so'that its inner nose extends through clamping screw opening 18 of the sleeve and thisscrew is provided with a turning means in the shape of a wheel 40 by which the screw may be rotated. It will be noted that the yoke 30 bridges this wheel-so that as a re- .filed November 30,

sult ofthis construction, the wheel is protected from injury or from being struck by objects. Furthermore, the'hollow boss 12 prevents dirt from having access to the threads of the screw and provides a housing in which grease may be retained for lubricating the screw.

Betweenthe nose of the screw and the side of the rod section 10 there is interposed a leaf spring 44. This is for preventing the nose of 'the vscrew from indenting the wood of which the rod is formed, and it also increases thearea available for clampingien gagement on the rod section. The spring'has extensions 46 at each end bent at right angles to the body of the spring. These engage the upper and lower edges of theframe and pre vent the spring from moving longitudinally relatively to the frame. By preference the extensionstif are sprung a trifle so that they will converge slightly and grip the upper and lower edges of the side wall of the frame. Thus the 'spring is held somewhat after the manner of a clipywith the result that the spring will retain itself upon the frame eventhough the: rod section is not present.

As the springis resilient it can, of course, be

readilypulledolf, and it can be positioned by merely pressing itinplace, but thisconstruction forms a simpleand effective means for keeping the spring in position in the frame and simplifies the act of assembly.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that in my clamp the form of the component elements is extremely simple and fill) the number of pieces" is reduced to the a minimum. It will also be evident that the process of manufactur1ng is greatly simplified, as the blank 14 can be struck out of a single/piece of metal while the various openings are simultaneously formed therein so that the only machine work requred is that of threading the clamping screw and the chambered housing. It will also be evident that after my device has'been assembled, there is no danger of parts working loose or falling out when in use. From a practical standpoint, there are no parts to become loose and this is of great importance when it is borne in-lnind that this form of device is in tended to be used in the field where repairs are next to impossible. The present applicationis a division of my co-pending,application, Serial No. 236,746, 1927, Patent No. 1,728,893, September17,1929. Havingthus described my invention, what ,I claim as new and desire tosecure-by Letters Patent is r i v I 1. The process of forming a clamping member for a leveling rod which comprises stamping [out a substantially rectangular blankof sheet metal and forming the blank with a scale mark sight opening and screw openings and'providing the opposite marginal edges of the blankwith notches bend-- 4 ing the blank to form a rectangular'hollow to provide a screw'opening.

sleeve with the notches in registration so as 2. The processfof forming a. clamp for a leveling rod whichcomprises stamping out a substantially rectangular blank of sheet metal and formingthe blank with a scale mark sight opening and screw openings and providing the opposite marginal edges of the blank with correspondingly disposed notches and with fastener openings, bending the blank to rectangular hollow sleeve-like form so that the notches register andform a clamp ing screw opening and fastening a bridge element to said abutting notched portions of the blank whereby to hold said abutting portions in fixed relation and whereby to secure the bridge to the sleeve.

3; The process of forming a clamp fora leveling rod which consists in cutting outasubstantially rectangular 7 blank of sheet metal while simultaneously cutting'out a relatively large opening within the body of the inetalto provide an opening 'to exhibit the scale markings and providing the other portions of the body of sheet blank with screw openings to receive the fastening screws for attaching the finished'blank to the leveling rod. Y Y

4. The process of forming a clamp for a leveling rod which consists incutting out asubstantially rectangular blank of sheet metal while simultaneously cutting out a relatively large opening within the body of the metal to provide an opening to exhibit the scale markings and providing the other portions of the body of sheet blank-with screw openings to receive the fastening screws for attaching the finished blank to the leveling rod, bending the blank into rectangular formation whereby the relatively large opening will form a wall opposite that portion of the blank in which the attaching screw openings are formed.

5. The process of forming a clamping member for a leveling rod which'comprises tively large scale mark sight opening at one i end of the blank and with aplurality of screw openingsat the corres ondinglyopposite end of the blank, and orming the op posed edges with marginal notches andwith additional openings to receive fastening I means, and bending the'blank into rectangui lar formation, so that the notched edges will approach each other, and whereby the notches will register to form'an opening for the reception of the clamping screw. h i

i In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

" ADOLPH LANGSNER.

providing a substantially rectangular blank of sheet metal with a scale mark sight opening and screw openings and providing the op posite marginal edges of the blank with notches, bending the blank to form a rectangular hollow sleeve with the notches in registration so as to provide a screw opening.

6. The process of forming a clamp for a leveling rod which comprises stamping out a substantially rectangular blank of sheet metal and formingthe'blank with a. scale mark sight opening and screw openings and providing the opposite marginal edges of the blank withcorrespondingly disposed notches and with fastener, openings, bending the blank to rectangular hollow sleeve-like form so that the notches register and form a clamp ing screw opening and fastening a. bridge 

